Material distributing machine



F. J. FAULKNER MATERIAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1938 June 10, 1941'.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor fel'flzziz iner p'B H A ttomeys June 10,1941. F, ,FAULKNER I 2,244,987

MATERIAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor *FZf'bzzZ3ner M I A ttomeys June 10,1941 F. J. FAULKNER 22445987 MATERIAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. '19, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet s v Inventor 42 417224222 er 'A ttorneys June 10, 1941. F. J. FAULKNER MATERIAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Aug, 19, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor fdfzzaznef fiaman,

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Aiibmeys I v Patented June 10, 1941 Fred J. Faulkner, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application August 19, 1938, Serial No. 225,831

4 Claims. Cl. 275-2) This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in machines for distributing material, such as insecticidal dust, fertilizer and various other substances.

The principal object of the present invention I is to provide a machine for distributing material of the character stated and which in use will confine the material to a definite surface area.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a machine for distributing material, such as insecticides, fertilizer and the like, which in operation will economize on the materials being used in that, any dust that will not settle quickly will be taken back into the distribution line.

Still another important object of the invent-ion is to provide a machine which will be of simple construction yet efiicient and constructed with the end in view of economizing as much as possible on the materials being employed so that there will be no waste.

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings: a

Figure 1 represents a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with a portion broken away and the fan damper removed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an irregular longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the fertilizer distributing spout.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the suction spout. I

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lin 1-1 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 2 with the damper in place.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that the machine includes a pair of angle beams 5-5 from the rear portions of which rises a pair of angle members 6-6. One flange of each of these angle members 6-6 of each beam 5 is formed with vertically spaced openings for accommodating horizontal pins 1. This forms adjusting means for an axle bar 8 whereby the frame 5-5 can be lowered or raised as desired. Wheels 20 are provided on the ends of the axle bar 8.

The frame beams 5-5 are connected by a platform 9 upon which an'internal combustion engine I0 is mounted.

At the forward end of the frameuis a yoke l I having a stub-shaft disposed upwardly into a vertically adjustable bearing, l2. Side brace members I l extend from a split sleeve 13 to connect to the forward portion of the platform .9, while rearwardly extending brace members l5 extend from the split sleeve l3 and connect to the platform 9. The bearing l2 extends upwardly through the split sleeve 13. The vertical edge portions of the sleeve are flanged and. these flanges are connected by bolts and nuts l3a. These can be loosened to permit vertical adjustmentof sleeve l3 therein to permit raising or lowering of the forward end of the machine to position of the rear end of the machine, so that the platform will be uniformly spaced from the ground at both ends. Extending forwardly from the yoke II are arms l6 between which a tongue I8 is pivoted as at ll. A wheel I9 is mounted in the yoke I l as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

Numeral 2! represents a hopper having an agitator 22 mounted in the bottom portion thereof and this has a shaft extending outwardly beyond one end of the hopper 2| to be equipped with a pulley 23. I I

The hopper 2i is provided with a closure 24 hingedly connected to the top thereof and also with a slide valve member 25 which extends upwardly and has a laterally disposed handle portion 26..

A spout 2'! extends downwardly from a suction blower fan housing 28 and flares laterally at its lower end to form a distributor mouth 21a as clearly shown in Figure 5, and the point at which the spout 21 merges with the mouth'2la is provided with a plurality of baffles or distributing deflectors 29 therein. The lower portion of the hopper 2| fits into the intermediate portion of the spout 21 as at the point 30 and opening 3| and also a deflector permitting fertilizer to fall from the hopper before it is caught by the downrush of air.

Numeral 33 represents a suction spout which extends upwardly from a downwardly tapering mouth structure 34, this spout 33 connects to an extension 43 of the suction blower fan housing hereinafter. j

suitable external control member.

28 in which a fan is carried by a shaft 36. This shaft 36 extends through one end of the housing 28 and has a pulley 36a mounted thereon. A drive belt 31 extends from the pulley 36a over a pulley 38 on an engine shaft 39, this shaft 39 also having a pulley 40 between which and the pulley 23 a belt 4| is trained. The chute 21, housing 28 and spout 33 define a passageway in which air and material is blown to and sucked from the ,hood structure which is described Reference character 41a represents a pipe connection between the engine exhaust and the spout 21 at a point below the hopper 2| for thoroughly heating the fertilizer before; it is distributed at the mouth 21a.

Numeral 42 denotes the usual fuel tank for the engine.

The tubular extension 43 on the fan .housing 28 is provided with a damper structure 44 at its outer end so that air to the fan 35 can be regulated.

.It, can .now be seen, that when the engine It is in: operation, the. suction-blower fan 35 is operated as is the agitator 22; Fertilizer falls from thehopperll in a volume regulated by the valve plate 25- into the chute 21 where it is caught by air from the fan and driven downwardly through the mouth 21a to the ground 45. A flexible hood structure 46 extends downwardly from the frame i and:- bottom of the platform 9 to ride against the ground and. this forms an enclosure so that any buoyant parts of the fertilizer are kept within a It will also be seen that as the suction-blower 3 35 operates, the pulverized material from the hopper 2i will be discharged from the mouth 21a evenly over the ground. There will obviously be a rise of very fine material from this lay and instead of this being lost, all this veryfine material which will not stay in'contact with the ground surface, or whatever surface the application is made to, will be taken up by the suction line 33 and put back into the distribution line 21 by the suction-blower device 35.

,Normally the damper 44 will not be employed as there will be circulation from the distributing line 21' and mouth 21a, against the ground 45 and under the platform 9, back through the suction line, 33 anddevice 35 to the distributing line 21. Thus the air under the platform and within the confines of the walls 46-46 and 46a46a permeated with the very fine dust particles will be used over, thus eliminating any loss of material from V the path of the ground surface being treated. g

It will also be observed that damper 48 is a pivotalrectangular shaped plate operated by a In other words,. when the damper 48 is moved to closed position, the suction-blower 35 will be drawing vacuum and thus no eifect will he had on the contentsof' the hopper Zl at the opening 3|.

In some instances where certain materials are being used, especially materials of a very light nature and where for instance, a light film is to be placed on the surface to be treated, the suction line 34 is not employed. On this occasion, the damper 48 is closed and the damper 44 opened to the desired degree. Thus there is no disturbance of the film laid down by the discharged material through the mouth 21a.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A materialdistributing machine comprising a wheeled frame structure, a shed-like structure depending from the frame structure and having flexible: end and side walls, said shed-like structure being open at its bottom, a material containing hopper supported onthe frame. and having a discharge passageway extending therefrom and into the. shed-like structure adjacent the forward: end thereof, and. a suction line extending from the shedelike structure adjacent the rear end thereof, and a suction blower device interposed between thev suction line and the passageway adapted to suck buoyant particles from within the shed-like structure and to deposit the same'in the said passageway from the hopper.

2. A. material distributing machine comprising a wheeled frame structure, a shed-like structure depending from the frame structure and having flexible end and side walls, said shed-like structure being open at its bottom, a material containing hopper supported on the frame and having a discharge passageway extending therefrom and into the shed-like structure adjacent the forward end thereof, and a suction line ex tending from the shed-like structure adjacent the rear end thereof. and a suction blower device interposed between the suction line and the passageway adapted to suck buoyant particles from within the shed-like structure and to deposit the same in the said passageway from the hopper, a regulatable air inlet for the suction-blower device, and a damper in the suction line.

3. A material distributing machine comprising .a shed-like structure, means ,for moving the shel-like structure over the ground, and means for circulating buoyant particle laden air through said shed, said last-mentioned means consisting of a passageway having ends in open communication with the interior of the shed-like structure and suction blower means in the passage- Way.

4. A material distributing machine comprising a shed-like structure, means for moving the shed-like structure over the ground, and means for circulating buoyant particle laden air through said shed, said last-mentioned means consisting of a passageway having ends in open communication with the interior of the shed-like structure, suction blower means in the passageway, a material supply hopper opening into the passageway, and means for regulating the supply .of material from the hopper tothe passageway.

FRED J. FAULKNER. 

